title: Council-supported condom vending machines: are they acceptable to rural communities?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Twenty-four hour access to condoms for young people living in rural Victoria is problematic for many reasons, including the fact that condom vending machines are often located in venues and places they cannot access.
  
  
  METHODS
  We partnered with three rural councils to install condom vending machines in locations that provided improved access to condoms for local young people. Councils regularly checked the machines, refilled the condoms and retrieved the money. They also managed the maintenance of the machine and provided monthly data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In total, 1153 condoms were purchased over 12 months, with 924 (80%) obtained from male toilets and 69% (801 out of 1153) purchased in the second half of the study. Revenue of $2626.10 (AUD) was generated and no negative feedback from residents was received by any council nor was there any negative reporting by local media. Vandalism, tampering or damage occurred at all sites; however, only two significant episodes of damage required a machine to be sent away for repairs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Condom vending machines installed in rural towns in north-east Victoria are accessible to young people after business hours, are cost-effective for councils and have not generated any complaints from residents. The machines have not suffered unrepairable damage and were used more frequently as the study progressed.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Excellence in Rural Sexual Health, Rural Health Academic Centre, University of Melbourne, 49 Graham Street, Shepparton, Vic. 3630, Australia.
authors.forename: Jane E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Tomnay
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hatch
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003132:Commerce / Q000379:methods*; D017280:Condoms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data* / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012424:Rural Population; D021841:Safe Sex; D014739:Victoria; D055815:Young Adult